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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said that removing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be among the first actions House Democrats take if they win back the chamber in the midterm elections, telling supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month: "One of the first things we're going to do in the majority, we're going to run Pete Hegseth out of town."
According to The Wall Street Journal, Democrats are preparing impeachment efforts against Hegseth both before the current Congress adjourns and next year if they secure a House majority. The report says a vote could come as soon as next month, while Republicans still hold the majority, with another effort to follow in 2027 if Democrats are in charge.
The focus on Hegseth contrasts with Democrats' approach to President Donald Trump: House Democratic leaders and candidates in competitive districts have largely avoided committing to a third impeachment of Trump, seeing it as potentially counterproductive, while treating Hegseth as a more immediate target.
Other Democrats have pressed the case in public: Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington described Hegseth on CNN as "incompetent and, frankly, corrupt"; Rep. Jared Huffman of California called him an "unhinged fanatic who should be impeached and removed from office"; and Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico has said his impeachment should be one of House Democrats' top three priorities in 2027, according to Semafor.
The push is not only from Democrats: Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, arguing the administration's military operations against Iran were unlawful because they were carried out without congressional authorization, and he plans to force a House vote when lawmakers return on Nov. 9.
The Pentagon has pushed back. Press secretary Kingsley Wilson defended Hegseth's leadership, saying the department is unified behind his vision and focused on peace through strength and giving warfighters what they need to succeed.
Democrats' criticisms cited in the reporting include Hegseth's handling of military operations against Iran, personnel changes at the Pentagon, and a 2025 incident in which sensitive military information was shared through a Signal group chat.
Over the weekend, Jeffries also edged closer to calling for Hegseth's impeachment in the current Congress, saying Hegseth should be pushed aside by the president, or Democrats would have to deal with the situation if he is not, according to Politico's account.
Impeachment by the House alone would not remove Hegseth from office; removal requires conviction by a two-thirds vote in the Senate. Democrats would therefore need both a House majority to impeach and Senate votes to convict, which frames how far the plan can go even if Democrats retake the House in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.